Lies That Bind

It was late afternoon. Work had stopped on the renovations. The house was quiet and covered in dust.

April shook her head. “No, she and Betsy had to check out the location of some job coming up. She said they’d be home for dinner.”

“Sounds good. I think we’re grilling outside. Maybe I’ll start the coals.”

April followed Cade out to the backyard. There was a new stainless-steel barbecue grill on the worn, uneven brick patio. She knew Eliza or Cade must have bought it. Maddie would never use something like that.

“What did you do today?” Cade asked as he began to work.

“I went to see Maddie, then stopped at the library to hear Jack Palmer.”

“I wanted to get to that but got caught up in a meeting in New Orleans. I met him at Sam’s the other night.”

“Sam is the sheriff?” April remembered the old sheriff who had questioned Eliza and her years ago.

“Right,” Cade said. “He’s been here two years. Came from New Orleans.”

“Quite a change. Is he as stupid as Sheriff Halstead was?”

Cade glanced over. “Eliza doesn’t hold the old sheriff in high regard, either. Sam’s younger, seems smart enough to me. After he read the files, he told Eliza he thinks Maddie got a raw deal.”

“Well, duh.”

Cade laughed softly. “Can I get you something to drink?”

April looked at him and smiled. “Sure. I’ll go in with you. I’d love some iced tea.”

It was obvious Cade knew his way around the kitchen. He took down four glasses, filled two with ice and then poured tea from the large pitcher in the refrigerator.

“Sugar already in,” he said, handing her the drink.

Taking a long sip, she sighed. “Delicious. Hard to get it this good in France.” She glanced around. “How long will this renovation take?”

“The men should be finished the first floor by the end of next week. We’re starting the second floor next. Depending on how much work we find we need to do on the plumbing, that could take a while. Sooner or later you and Eliza are going to have to vacate your rooms so I can have bathrooms built. I want one en suite between every two bedrooms.”

“So tell me more about this project, and why Maddie is involved.”

“Remember my sister?” Cade asked.

April nodded. She was the one who had committed suicide the same day Jo had been beaten so badly.

Cade explained something that hadn’t been common knowledge at the time. His sister Chelsea had been pregnant when she killed herself. He thought part of her desperation was due to fear of the future and lack of support. He surprised April when he said he’d told Maddie about his proposal for a home for pregnant teens and the older woman had immediately latched on to the idea, offering the house on Poppin Hill as the perfect facility.

“Not everyone in town wants the home,” he added.

“Like the banker. Eliza told me about him. What I don’t understand is why he’s opposing Maddie. They were dating when I last lived here. What happened?”

“No one seems to know. Remember Edith Harper, Maddie’s friend?”

“I do.”

“She might know more, but if she does, she hasn’t told Eliza. Maybe you can get something out of her.”

“I’ll have to go visit her,” April said, looking at her glass. “It’s funny a lifelong spinster like Maddie would be interested in a home for unwed teens.”

“I think it gives her a purpose again. I want her to run it.”

“Even now? After the stroke?”

“If she can recover enough, sure. If not, then we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. The place should be ready by end of July. I’m hoping to get all the permits and approvals by August, so we can open for business.”

April asked him a few more questions, trying to get clear in her mind the scope of the project. She thought of Maddie raising three girls all the same age. Almost like raising triplets. Had she wanted to foster more children? Would the past accusations prevent her from taking charge of the home? She and Eliza were adults now. They could make new statements, and try to clear Maddie’s reputation.

She hoped the stroke wasn’t permanently incapacitating and that Maddie had her chance to run the home, but she had a long way to go before she’d be up to the task.

April heard a car in the driveway and went to the back door. It was a sheriff’s vehicle, pulling to a stop just as she reached the screen. A tall man climbed out, his dark hair gleaming in the sunshine. He looked tanned and fit. A deputy or the sheriff himself, she wasn’t sure, but a far cry from Sheriff Halstead and his paunch.

Cade joined her. “It’s Sam. I asked him if he could speed up the search for Jo. I hoped maybe he’d locate her while you were here.”

“Cops are looking for her?”

“As a favor only. They’ve got contacts unavailable to the rest of us.” Cade walked down to meet the man. “Hi, Sam.”

April stood in the door and watched. She glanced at the patrol car. Jack Palmer sat in the front seat. She turned and went back to the table. She’d had enough of that man to last her forever.

A moment later Cade and the sheriff entered the kitchen.

“April, Sam Witt,” Cade introduced. “Sam, April Jeffries.”

“Pleasure, ma’am.”

“Hello,” she said, wondering what his relationship was with Jack Palmer. The reporter had been in the front seat, so he couldn’t be under arrest. Too bad.

Sam put his hat on the table and pulled out a chair. Cade placed a full glass of iced tea in front of Sam a moment later.

“Guess you heard I’m searching for Jo Hunter,” Sam said to April after taking a swallow of the tea.

She nodded.

“Got any ideas where she might be?”

“I don’t even know where she was sent when we were split up.”

“She went to Meridian,” Sam told her. “Seems strange all three of you were sent so far apart, especially after being raised together most of your lives.”

“Seems strange we were sent anywhere,” April returned. “Jo blamed Maddie initially, but she said she told the truth later and no one would believe her.”

“Who did beat her?” Sam asked.